This invention relates to tire buffing apparatus of the type wherein a template or cam is utilized in connection with a cam follower or follow bar for moving the tire carried by a tire mount with respect to a tire buffing rasp in a path corresponding to the surface of the cam. Such a device is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,675,706 but possesses the disadvantage of being complicated requiring a chain and driving arrangement for pivoting the tire mount, as well as additional mechanism for Moving the rasp forwardly to engage the tire, the tire mount being mounted on a pivot fixed with respect to the machine frame.
Manually operated devices of the aforesaid type have been constructed wherein the tire mount is carried on a slideable platform and wherein the rasp is stationary. Such devices, however, are extremely tedious to operate due to the repetitive action necessitated by a tire buffing operation wherein the tires are buffed for later recapping.
Normally, when tires are buffed in the devices presently on the market, the buffing operation begins with a medial portion of the crown of the tire in engagement with the rasp and the tire is then moved so as to buff that portion on one side of the medial portion of the crown through the shoulder, and then with the tire still in engagement with the rasp a full traverse is made from shoulder to shoulder. Thus, the already buffed portion on one side of the tire is maintained in engagement with the rasp during the initial portion of the full traverse. The tire is subjected to additional heat and additional rubber, albeit a smaller amount, is removed causing the tire to be somewhat uneven from side to side.
Accordingly, it is an important object of this invention to provide a power operated buffing apparatus utilizing the simplicity of a fluid operated cylinder for moving the periphery of a tire in a predetermined path with respect to a rasp rotating on a stationary axis.
Another important object of the invention is to produce an apparatus which lends itself to the practice of a novel method wherein approximately one-half of the tire on one side is buffed with removal of the tire from the rasp prior to the return of the tire to an initial central position prior to buffing through the shoulder on the other side of the tire.